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Sakinah · سَكِينَة

How are you feeling today?

Choose a feeling and receive an ayah of the Qur'an and an authentic hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim, with a concise scholarly explanation and every source one tap away.

أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ

For when you feel

🏠 Lonely or homesick مُشْتاق

Far from family, between two homes.

Qur'an · Al-Baqara 2:186

سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿186﴾

“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.”

Saheeh International translation

Explanation · Al-Mukhtasar

If they ask you, O Prophet, about how close Allah is and about His answering of prayers, Allah is close to them and knows everything about them. He hears their prayer, and they do not need intermediaries or to raise their voices. Allah responds to the call of whoever calls Him sincerely, praying to Him; so, let them be devoted to Him and His sacred law, firm in their faith, as that is the best route to Allah’s response – perhaps in that way they might be rightly guided in worldly and sacred matters.

Reflection

Every other command in this passage says 'say to them'. This one does not. Allah answers directly: I am near. There is no distance from Him, whichever country you are in.

Qur'an · Az-Zumar 39:10

سُورَةُ الزُّمَرِ

قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌۭ ۗ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ ﴿10﴾

“Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.”

Saheeh International translation

Explanation · Al-Mukhtasar

O Messenger, say to my servants who have faith in Me and My messengers: “Be mindful of your Lord by carrying out His commands and refraining from His prohibitions. For those amongst you who did good actions in the world is good in this world through divine assistance, health and provision, and in the Afterlife through Paradise. And the land of Allah is vast, so migrate therein until you find a place in which you can worship Allah without anything stopping you. The patient will be given their reward on the day of judgment without any counting or limit, due to its abundance and different types”.

Reflection

'The earth of Allah is spacious.' Migration for a better life and livelihood is honoured in the Qur'an. Your being here is not an exile; it can be an act of provision for the people you love.

Qur'an · At-Tawba 9:40

سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿40﴾

“If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”

Saheeh International translation

Explanation · Al-Mukhtasar

If you O believers, do not help the Messenger (peace be upon him) and respond to his call to strive for the sake of Allah, then Allah has already helped him when you were not with him; when the idolaters drove him away from Mecca with Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them hid in the cave of Thawr from the disbelievers who were chasing them. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told his companion Abū Bakr, who was scared that the idolaters would discover him, not to worry, because Allah was with them, supporting and helping them. Allah sent down His reassurance and tranquility upon the heart of His Messenger, and sent angels which they could not see to support them, making the word of the idolaters the lowest, and the word of Allah the highest by aiding His Religion. Allah is Mighty in His essence, power and force – nothing can overcome Him – and He Wise in His planning, decree and laws.

Reflection

In the cave, hunted, with one companion, the Prophet ﷺ said: do not grieve, Allah is with us. Company is not only people; it is presence.

Qur'an · Qaaf 50:16

سُورَةُ قٓ

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ ﴿16﴾

“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein”

Saheeh International translation

Explanation · Al-Mukhtasar

And I have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and I am closer to him than [his] jugular vein. Verily, I created the human and I know the thoughts and desires that pass his mind. I am closer to him than the vein that is present in his neck and connected to his heart.

Reflection

Closer than the jugular vein. Loneliness is real, but you are never unaccompanied.

Hadith · Sahih al-Bukhari 6416

Sahih

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ الطُّفَاوِيُّ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُجَاهِدٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَنْكِبِي فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الْمَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ‏.‏

Narrated Mujahid

`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of my shoulder and said, 'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler." The sub-narrator added: Ibn `Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death

Reflection

Be in this world as a stranger or a traveller. Expats understand this hadith in their bones: hold the place lightly, do good in it, and remember where you are going.

Hadith · Sahih al-Bukhari 6011

Sahih

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى عُضْوًا تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ جَسَدِهِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated An-Nu`man bin Bashir

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it

Reflection

Believers are one body; when one part aches, the rest stays awake with it. Your alumni community here is part of that body. Reach out; you are meant to.

Hadith · Sahih al-Bukhari 6018

Sahih

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet. (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk)

Reflection

Kindness to the neighbour and honouring the guest are tied to faith itself. The fastest cure for loneliness in the Sunnah is to become the neighbour you wish you had.

Hadith · Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 77

Sahih

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيهِ - أَوْ قَالَ لِجَارِهِ - مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed:"None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother" - or he said "for his neighbour" - "that which he loves for himself

Reflection

None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. Community is a condition of faith, not an optional extra.

Sources and how this was made

Nothing here is paraphrased scripture. Qur'an text, translation and hadith text are pulled directly from the sources below and stored with their references; the concise explanation under each ayah is Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Qur'an (Tafsir Center for Qur'anic Studies). The short reflections are practical notes written for this page and are not rulings; for guidance on a specific matter, consult a scholar.